Distributor: Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.
Episodes: 13
Duration: 42 min (per episode)
The Last Ship: Season 2 (Blu-ray) – Series Review
Even though the USS Nathan James got rid of the Russian ship that was out to destroy them and finally made its way back to the United States, things haven’t been going as smooth as Tom Chandler could have hoped. While it was great to see that there were still big pockets of civilization left, what was happening to them proved to be rather atrocious. Olympia, the current elites, who were using the normal populace as cattle, or fuel to be precise are gaining ground every day. People were being led to be put down and burned to be turned into fuel, to keep the elite happy and comfortable. Tom finds his own family alive, but in one of those ‘murder houses’, he is determined to get rid of the current chain of command of Olympia.
Tom Chandler (Eric Dane) finds his father Jed (Bill Smitrovich) and his two children, Ashley (Grace Kaufman) and Sam (Aidan Sussman) both in one of the camps where they put down ‘average’ humans, to be turned into fuel. After Tom discovers this, as well as the unlucky fate of his wife, he breaks them out and is planning to take Olympia down. Sadly, Amy Granderson (Alfre Woodard), who is Lt. Alisha Granderson’s (Christina Elmore) mother, has a plan for the USS Nathan James and if it’s up to her, the rest of the world. The ship is currently being commandeered by Granderson’s men, and they are looking for the primordial sample, that led to the cure of the virus, that is still plaguing the world. Dr. Rachel Scott (Rhona Mitra) is still being held in Granderson’s facility, while Quincy (Sam Spruell) is bleeding like a stuck pig aboard the USS Nathan James, after being shot by the invading forces. After even giving his life to keep the ‘new elite’ from getting the cure, things seem to be turning into the favor of the United States Marines once more. Tom is able to take the power plant that is connected to Olympia, all while he plans to take over their base with the rebels that hide in the area. The ship is also slowly being taken back by a few rogue marines, who got away while the rest was being captured. This arc already gets to its end after the first two episodes, but the precise ending we’ll leave for you to discover.
Season two will introduce a new arc, namely one that revolves around the people who have a natural immunity towards the virus. Sean Ramsey (Brian F. O’Byrne) and his brother Ned (Nick Court) have actually turned this immunity into a new cult, where they make it seem they are the chosen ones, who will inherit the planet. While it would be no real issue if they massed together and lived out their lives, they are also exterminating those who have a possible cure, or those who simply aren’t immune. When Niels (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) suddenly comes into contact with the group, and they learn that he is in fact the instigator of the virus and is highly contagious, they let him roam freely in safe zones, hoping he will infect everyone there, and find a few immunes in the process, making their army even bigger. Of course, when they come into the sight of the Nathan James, Tom has to do everything he can to stop them, but it will be rather hard to do, as a propaganda war against the marines is slowly starting to unfold. There is much to do, namely convince the people of their cure and mass produce it, infiltrate the bad guys’ base of operations and hopefully take down the head honchos. That being said, when they find the new president in cahoots with the immunes, things get even more complicated.
Just like season one, The Last Ship is not a very fast series, as they let all the facts sink in properly. This doesn’t mean that there is not a lot of action or many things going on at once. You’ll be treated to an action packed series, but with the story properly worked out, and some of the battle scenes are well portrayed, especially when it comes to making the look realistic. During this second season new characters are introduced, seeing the crew has already taken hits, but some of the crew’s main figures also perish in the heat of battle. This means that the series tries to play with your emotions from time to time, and it does so in a very convincing fashion, safe for the sobby episode of some of the crew members looking for their families.
One remark that might be nitpicking, but we’ll state it nonetheless, is that many of the abandoned buildings, or people who live on the streets are extremely clean and well groomed. There are buildings which have been abandoned for weeks or months, that look as if the cleaning lady still swings by every week, safe for a few glasses that are neatly placed next to the sink. Even though food and so on will be rather scarce in the cities, there are hardly signs of lootings, which makes it seem like everyone is well behaved and tidy during the end of the world.
The quality of the action performances remains consistent with that of the first season. You’ll be treated to convincing acting from start to finish by both the main cast, and the newcomers in this second season. While some actors tend to get a lot more screen time, the extras also do a proper job in painting a realistic looking picture. That being said, it’s clear there is a gap in acting experience between the main characters and those who only get starred in one or a few episodes.
In this Blu-ray release of the second season, every disc holds a few special features. While most of these extras are actually in-depth looks at specific scenes, they do add a bit of extra content to this box. Other than that, you’ll find a making of and a featurette that revolves solely around the ‘Vulture Team’. Nothing fancy, but appreciated extra content nonetheless.
Conclusion
With a cliffhanger at the end of season two, it’s clear this series isn’t over yet, even though it could have received a proper ending. That being said, The Last Ship maintains its steady course towards a qualitative plot, acting performances and grand battles. This series brings a refreshing breeze to stories that revolve around viruses that wipe the face of the Earth clean. If you’re into a serious storyline, with a convincing setting and background, you might want to test the waters of this one, as it tends to run quite deep.
The Last Ship: Season 2 (Blu-ray) – Series Review,
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